I-35 in Edmond

[Plutonic Panda]

^^^stfu

[chuck5815]

^^^stfu

he ain't wrong.

[Plutonic Panda]

I’m just joshin... he’s right. But in all fairness it’s taken around a year for Caltrans to rehabilitate I-5 through Santa Clarita but they are replacing the pavement which I don’t think OkDOT is even doing. Might as well reconstruct the road and widen it to 8 lanes already.

I do know they added a project to the 8yr plan which will add a lane each way underneath the Kilpatrick Turnpike overpass so it will have 3 mainline lanes each way. Should help with some of the back up issues around rush hour.

[brianinok]

I do know they added a project to the 8yr plan which will add a lane each way underneath the Kilpatrick Turnpike overpass so it will have 3 mainline lanes each way. Should help with some of the back up issues around rush hour.

Great news!

Can they also put up a barricade for the Turner Turnpike to s/b I-35 vehicles until NE 122nd so that trucks will quit trying to swerve across all lanes of traffic to get to the truck stops? There ARE other trucks stops in OKC. I always adjust my position so that I am never next to one of the vehicles coming from the Turner Turnpike because you never know what they are going to do.

[Plutonic Panda]

Would be nice to get that whole interchange redone even though it isn’t that old! I’m sure there will be a public comment period and I’ll post it here when I come across it. I agree there should be a barrier there.

[bombermwc]

That interchange will need to get behind the 44/40 one. Lets work on finishing the ones already in progress, and then move to the last one in town that causes multi MILE backups. The area up near the turnpike is most assuredly NOT backed up to that level....ever.

[HangryHippo]

That interchange will need to get behind the 44/40 one. Lets work on finishing the ones already in progress, and then move to the last one in town that causes multi MILE backups. The area up near the turnpike is most assuredly NOT backed up to that level....ever.

Holy hell, this! The 40/44 interchange is ridiculous. There's no reason the bridges should still be two lanes.

Sidenote - when the hell are they going to pave the bridges?

[Plutonic Panda]

That interchange will need to get behind the 44/40 one. Lets work on finishing the ones already in progress, and then move to the last one in town that causes multi MILE backups. The area up near the turnpike is most assuredly NOT backed up to that level....ever.

While I agree with you that the I-40/I-44 interchange needs reconstruction, adding these lanes underneath are needed. There are multi mile backups all the way from second st. that I have experienced though it usually starts around 15th st and still moves at that not coming to a complete stop and go.

I-40/I-44 is way overdue and OkDOT surely knows this. The price tag will easily pass a quarter billion for the entire thing so I bet it is built in phases unless some miracle in funding comes along or we change the constitution to allow OkDOT to take on debt which needs to happen.

[flyfisher07]

While I agree with you that the I-40/I-44 interchange needs reconstruction, adding these lanes underneath are needed. There are multi mile backups all the way from second st. that I have experienced though it usually starts around 15th st and still moves at that not coming to a complete stop and go.

I-40/I-44 is way overdue and OkDOT surely knows this. The price tag will easily pass a quarter billion for the entire thing so I bet it is built in phases unless some miracle in funding comes along or we change the constitution to allow OkDOT to take on debt which needs to happen.

I don't think they're redoing the entire I40/I44 interchange are they? Last I heard they were only doing new I-40 bridges through the interchange to have 3 lanes in each direction. If they were redoing the entire interchange surely they would've had a public-comment period on it by now and there'd be other phases of the project in the 8 year plan, right?

[Plutonic Panda]

I don’t think they have any construction plans at all for the I-40/I-44 interchange in the 8yr plan. We’ll see what comes of it. They could list some improvements that are far enough out to have time to complete a public commenting period.

IMO, moving the exits/entrances to the side is very important as is expanding capacity. This entire interchange has served its propose and needs to see the wrecking ball soon.

But yes a public comment period to sort through various alternatives for a new interchange would surely happen. I don’t have any insider knowledge about OkDOT so when that might pop up is anyone’s guess. I know they are planning for a replacement of the Belle Isle section of I-44 which will be pretty expensive so I suspect it could be a few years before OkDOT formally announces a replacement here, but maybe we’ll get surprised.

[SoonerDustin]

Any left hand merge lane is just a dumb, cost-cutting move. That i-35 Turner Turnpike one is the worst in the mornings. Seriously, a flyover with access to 122nd would be the best option for the truckers who want to go to Loves or Flying J. Above it was mentioned about there are other truck stops, but many of these trucks have nationwide accounts at Love's or Flying J, so they will find a way to get over across all lanes and exit. It's surprising there are not more bad wrecks there. The I-44/40 is just as bad...
I could go on and on...

[BoulderSooner]

I don’t think they have any construction plans at all for the I-40/I-44 interchange in the 8yr plan. We’ll see what comes of it. They could list some improvements that are far enough out to have time to complete a public commenting period.

IMO, moving the exits/entrances to the side is very important as is expanding capacity. This entire interchange has served its propose and needs to see the wrecking ball soon.

But yes a public comment period to sort through various alternatives for a new interchange would surely happen. I don’t have any insider knowledge about OkDOT so when that might pop up is anyone’s guess. I know they are planning for a replacement of the Belle Isle section of I-44 which will be pretty expensive so I suspect it could be a few years before OkDOT formally announces a replacement here, but maybe we’ll get surprised.

Actually I40 over 44 is in the 8 year plan. 40 mil in 2024

[Plutonic Panda]

Actually I40 over 44 is in the 8 year plan. 40 mil in 2024

Is it in this years plan? I know it was in last years but I’ll have to double check because it looked as if they removed it. From what I saw the only thing they had in the plan was utility and ROW work; not actual construction, IIRC. I could only think though that this would be part of a larger plan. To add lanes they’d have to modify the existing ramps, no?

[Plutonic Panda]

Any left hand merge lane is just a dumb, cost-cutting move. That i-35 Turner Turnpike one is the worst in the mornings. Seriously, a flyover with access to 122nd would be the best option for the truckers who want to go to Loves or Flying J. Above it was mentioned about there are other truck stops, but many of these trucks have nationwide accounts at Love's or Flying J, so they will find a way to get over across all lanes and exit. It's surprising there are not more bad wrecks there. The I-44/40 is just as bad...
I could go on and on...

Good luck on getting OkDOT to build a flyover for an arterial road. They’re just now implementing flyovers for freeway to freeway interchanges. In the meantime as Brian suggested a physical barrier such as semi permanent delineator post would suffice well to prevent cars from swerving over. Even a sign prohibiting it might stop some people, but a physical barrier would be ideal.

[flyfisher07]

Is it in this years plan? I know it was in last years but I’ll have to double check because it looked as if they removed it. From what I saw the only thing they had in the plan was utility and ROW work; not actual construction, IIRC. I could only think though that this would be part of a larger plan. To add lanes they’d have to modify the existing ramps, no?

Still in there for 2024 construction. "I-40: EB & WB BRIDGES OVER I-44 5.3 MIS. E. OF THE CANADIAN C/L ("K"INTERCHANGE) INCLUDING BOX STRUCTURE REPAIR"

[Plutonic Panda]

The Edmond I-35 service road reconfiguration project is now on OkDOTs 8 year plan which should be released in September or October(basing it from their previous history). This project will redesign several interchanges and convert the service roads to one way. It will also add dedicated uturns or Texas turnarounds at each interchange.

I believe they are also studying adding more lanes to I-35 in Edmond. I-35 definitely needs to be 6 lanes to at least Waterloo and soon to Guthrie.

Here is the article: https://www.edmondsun.com/news/i--fr...d144ffe42.html

[bombermwc]

I'd rather see the I40/I44 junction taken care of first. It's far more impactful to traffic flow and doesn't really require as much work (the whole interchange doesnt have to be tossed).

[Zorba]

The Edmond I-35 service road reconfiguration project is now on OkDOTs 8 year plan which should be released in September or October(basing it from their previous history). This project will redesign several interchanges and convert the service roads to one way. It will also add dedicated uturns or Texas turnarounds at each interchange.

I believe they are also studying adding more lanes to I-35 in Edmond. I-35 definitely needs to be 6 lanes to at least Waterloo and soon to Guthrie.

Here is the article: https://www.edmondsun.com/news/i--fr...d144ffe42.html

This is really good, hopefully they integrate all of the on/off ramps with the service road properly too.

They really need to add exit/on ramps at Danforth, Coffee Creek and/or Sorghum Mill. 6 lanes to Waterloo would be nice, but there is still some time before it is really required.

[Plutonic Panda]

I believe the ultimate plan is to widen I-35 to six lanes to Stillwater. I-35 being widened to 6 lanes to Waterloo will almost surely happen in the next decade and possibly fairly sooner.

It would be nice to see a new larger 2nd. st bridge as 2 nd st in Edmond needs to be six lanes through the entire city with the exception east of I-35 but in a perfect world I’d widen it anyways. Creating an interchange for so the service roads could pass underneath 2nd to act as a C/D system would be ideal and then extending the service roads to Waterloo or at least Covell.

I agree that the interchanges need to be addressed and any I-35 project should include these as part of it.

[WitWhy]

They really need to add exit/on ramps at Danforth, Coffee Creek and/or Sorghum Mill. 6 lanes to Waterloo would be nice, but there is still some time before it is really required.

It is growing quite a bit out there and with a new elementary school in the pipeline on coffee creek and douglas, traffic will just get worse and worse

[rte66man]

I believe the ultimate plan is to widen I-35 to six lanes to Stillwater. I-35 being widened to 6 lanes to Waterloo will almost surely happen in the next decade and possibly fairly sooner.

It would be nice to see a new larger 2nd. st bridge as 2 nd st in Edmond needs to be six lanes through the entire city with the exception east of I-35 but in a perfect world I’d widen it anyways. Creating an interchange for so the service roads could pass underneath 2nd to act as a C/D system would be ideal and then extending the service roads to Waterloo or at least Covell.

I agree that the interchanges need to be addressed and any I-35 project should include these as part of it.

Given the terrain north of 2nd Street, the cost to extend the service roads to Waterloo would be insane. I can't see any need for it as there aren't any businesses that need the access (except for just south of Waterloo). Replace the bridge at Danforth and make it a full diamond interchange. I will settle for that for now.

[Plutonic Panda]

Given the terrain north of 2nd Street, the cost to extend the service roads to Waterloo would be insane. I can't see any need for it as there aren't any businesses that need the access (except for just south of Waterloo). Replace the bridge at Danforth and make it a full diamond interchange. I will settle for that for now.

Yeah the interchange at Danforth is a complete joke. The fact that Edmond allowed that church to be built next to existing church is ridiculous. If anything that church on the corner of Sooner and Danforth should have been targeted for acquisition and demolition to be used as an area for a new ramp. They could get away with building a half diamond with SB access/exit at Sooner. I’m hoping they include Danforth interchange in their six year plan update this year.

[Lafferty Daniel]

I believe the ultimate plan is to widen I-35 to six lanes to Stillwater

Where did you hear this?

[Plutonic Panda]

Where did you hear this?

OkDOT has stated numerous times they plan on widening I-35 corridor in North OKC metro. This is shown in press releases and plan sheets for construction projects they have in their 8 year plan that are built to make a widening easier. They wouldn’t be doing this if they had no such plans.

The best example is the I-35/Waterloo interchange where they specify the I-35 bridge over Waterloo will be re-built with oversized shoulders to allow for an expansion of 3 lanes in each direction. The Seward St. interchange was built to allow an easy additional lane in each direction.

In addition to all of this, OkDOT also study further capacity additions to I-35 in Edmond which they haven’t ruled out a widening of the current six lane freeway. Generally when a project like this is introduced you’ll hear they specially will point we won’t add lanes at x. TxDOT is already planning a widening of I-35 with a mix of 6-8 lanes a mile into Oklahoma which that project will be starting in the earl 2020s.

So part of that is my assumption based on the high growth along the I-35 corridor, the growing OKC metro, and the fact there is proof OkDOT has plans to widen I-35 extending north of Waterloo. I suspect we will see I-35 widened to Waterloo and quite possibly Guthrie within the next 10 years and Stillwater in 15-20.

As crazy as it might seem to some, I-35 being minimum of six lanes from Stillwater to Dallas is more than likely going to happen by 2045. Mark my words. If OKC explodes like other cities have, it could be much sooner.

[mugofbeer]

Whatever happened to the proposal to change the Edmond I-35 access roads to 1-way on each side?